Travel Blogging: Where’s the Money Really At?

Lately, I’ve heard of more than a couple of people planning to take off for the unknown with the intention of earning all the money they need to live by blogging about their travels. I hate to say it, but this idea may be a little more than optimistic. I’m not saying it can’t (or hasn’t) been done, but travel blogging may not provide the income that a lot of new bloggers seem to expect from it. Those travel bloggers who make a full-time living from their blogs put in plenty of time — often more than the full-time hours required in an office.

You’re a Freelance Travel Writer: You Need to Market

As a freelance travel writer, you’re a business owner. That means that it’s your responsibility to market yourself — it’s up to you to make sure that you grow your business, land new opportunities and continue to find new markets. Freelancing isn’t a ‘get out of marketing free’ card — but don’t let that scare you. Marketing yourself as a travel writer doesn’t need to be complicated.

Get a website

Purchase a domain name — yourname.com if you can get it — and put up a site. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but since you won’t have a storefront, you’ll need some place to direct editors and other prospective clients to, where you can share information about your writing. Personally, I like using a blog as my main site: visitors get an idea of my writing skills immediately and I don’t have to mess around with anything difficult when I want to edit something on my site.

Many web hosting services can automatically set up WordPress on your site. Blog on a topic relevant to your travel writing — you can even just record your adventures that don’t make it into articles — and set up an about page with links to your clips.

Join social networks

Even if you don’t know what country you’re going to be in next week, you can still connect with people online. You don’t have to sign up for every social networking site under the sun, but at least get profiles up on Facebook and LinkedIn. I like Twitter as well — but what works for me may not be the same thing that works for you. It’s also worth getting involved in more specialized sites, like those that cater to travel writers.

Comment on other sites

Commenting on blog posts, especially those related to your own writing is an absolutely basic online marketing strategy, but it can get your name out there, along with links to your site. It’s important to leave worthwhile comments: your goal is to build up some name recognition. When someone sees your name or website, you want them to think, ‘wow! that’s an awesome idea and this person is a great travel writer.’

Find what works for your niche

Depending on just what kind of travel writing you want to do, your marketing will vary. The tactics you can take to catch the eye of the editor of a family-oriented magazine aren’t going to be the same as the tactics you take to land a ongoing blogging job. That means you’ll need to experiment to find just what will work for you. You may even need to do some research to build a complete marketing plan. But a good plan will pay off again and again in new writing assignments.

Your Story’s Begging For A Sidebar

More than once, I’ve been able to turn a ‘maybe we can run your article’ to a ‘when can you get it to us’ with the addition of a sidebar. It’s been my experience that editors love sidebars, not because of the space they take up or the useful information they contain but because most readers focus on headlines, pull quotes and sidebars and then the story, if you’re lucky. That makes it a good practice to include a sidebar suggestion with almost every query. Even if the editor decides to give a sidebar a pass, she might still pick up the article — and the mere offer a sidebar speaks well of you.

Sidebars can be any sort of information tangentially related to the main article — and when you’re writing about travel, sidebars are simple. There’s always a sidebar you can add:

1. A travel itinerary
2. Contact information for a hotel or museum
3. Necessary gear
4. Quotes from other travelers
5. Similar trips in other areas
6. Children’s (or other specialized) activities
7. Nearby lodgings
8. Local customs or rules
9. Packing lists
10. Any other information that doesn’t quite fit in your article

Odds are generally pretty good that you have more information than you can fit in the space an editor has allotted you. Using that information to create a sidebar can win you some brownie points with your editor and — depending on the publication — maybe a few extra dollars in your check.

Travel Writers and PR Reps Should Be Friends

Some freelance writers seem to view public relations specialists as some sort of conspiracy to control just what topics writers cover. The truth of the matter is, though, that PR folks can be crucial to your success as a travel writer. Want access to a hotel a little cushier than the one you’re staying at? Want a clue-in on any upcoming events? Want a chance at those ritzy junkets? All of those require a little help from our friends in the PR industry.

10 Starting Points For New Stories

If you’ve been writing about one area for long enough, it can seem like you’ve gone through every story idea you can think of. Taking a look at your location through a new lens can help you find a new slant or story — and perhaps submit a query to a new market. Consider these questions as a starting point.

Travel Writing: Online vs Print

This post is a guest post from Nikolas Tjhin, one of travelers behind Unearthing Asia — which, last week, was named Guardian.co.uk’s Travel Blog of the Month. Congratulations, Nik!

As is the case with almost everything else, the world wide web has changed the way travel works. Gone are the times when you had to call and book an appointment with a travel agency, relying solely on letters printed on a five-years old guide book, or on the advice of a stranger, your travel agent.

5 Tips for Intercultural Sensitivity in Your Travel Writing

One of the most important things that travel writers need to be aware of when traveling – and sharing their experiences – is intercultural sensitivity. Take, for instance, a case of extreme cultural differences and values. A writer could slant the article in several ways – one that is ethnocentric and value-laden, while at the other end of the spectrum, one that is completely culture-free and just reports facts. However, neither option is a good one for either the writer or the readers.

Deconstructing Travel Markets: Your Options

As you’re putting together an article on your travels, it’s important to keep the wide variety of travel markets you can be published in on your mind. Blogs, magazines, even books can provide you with an opportunity to share your work and maybe even bring in a few bucks.

10 Travel Writing Markets

The first step of writing an article is research — but not the kind you’re thinking of. When you have an idea for a topic, your first step should be to research which writing market will take it. The writing market affects everything, from style to length, which makes it doubly important to nail down the market before you ever start writing. These ten markets will give you a head start.

4 Ways to Pick Up Writing Clips

Whenever you’re pitching a potential story to an editor — whether we’re talking about a magazine or an online publication — you’ll be asked about your clips. Editors want to see the quality of your writing before agreeing to give you money and, honestly, I don’t blame them. But if you’re just starting out in your travel writing efforts, you may not have a collection of bought-and-paid-for articles you can show off.